[Vocabulary] A Sheet of Paper

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englishhobby

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The only way I know to describe one "item" from a block of (stationary) paper is "a (blank) sheet of paper". Being a teacher, I often need this word and I say as I was taught "I need a sheet of paper" "Could you give me a sheet of paper?" "Here's a sheet of paper" etc. But I wonder if there is a shorter way to name this object. If I say just "a sheet", people might misunderstand and confuse the word as "shit") (I know this is not a problem for native speakers))) If I say just "a paper", it won't be grammatically correct, or is it OK? Which "short" word do you use for "a blank sheet of paper"?
:-?:?:
 

MikeNewYork

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The only way I know to describe one "item" from a block of (stationary) paper is "a (blank) sheet of paper". Being a teacher, I often need this word and I say as I was taught "I need a sheet of paper" "Could you give me a sheet of paper?" "Here's a sheet of paper" etc. But I wonder if there is a shorter way to name this object. If I say just "a sheet", people might misunderstand and confuse the word as "shit") (I know this is not a problem for native speakers))) If I say just "a paper", it won't be grammatically correct, or is it OK? Which "short" word do you use for "a blank sheet of paper"?
:-?:?:

I use "sheet of paper".
 

Raymott

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The correct solution to this problem is to pronounce 'sheet' correctly. How are you going to say, "The maid gave me the sheets"?
 

Rover_KE

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You could ask for 'a piece of paper' (unless you're worried they might confuse that with 'piss':roll:).
 

englishhobby

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You could ask for 'a piece of paper' (unless you're worried they might confuse that with 'piss':roll:).
)))) A "piece" of paper sounds "smaller" than a "sheet" of paper, doesn't it? (I need the A4 format (typically used for printers))
 

emsr2d2

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'))))' confuses me. I don’t know what that stands for.


It doesn't stand for anything. I assume englishhobby was trying to put a big smile (in response to the "p*ss" remark) by putting four smiles. It's not a recognised emoticon or smiley.
 

emsr2d2

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"A piece of paper" might sound smaller than "a sheet of paper", but it's not. In BrE at least, if someone says "Please pass me a piece of paper" I would immediately look for a normal A4 sheet of paper to give them. If that wasn't available, I might just look for any size piece of paper for them.
 
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